My Love, Ino
by Rose Duchess
Summary: It's White Day and what did a lazy ninja get for his girlfriend? ShikaIno and hints of NaruHina.


**This is a little companion story of the Valentine's Day story for the holiday in Japan known as White Day. This was for yesterday but I couldn't finish it in time but I hope you like it anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Masashi Kishimoto does.**

It has been a month since he asked Ino to be his girlfriend, and now it is March 14 where the boys give return gifts for the Valentine's day chocolate they received the month before. He had recently returned from a mission to help capture some bandits that were terrorizing a small village. He, Naruto, Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino were sent on the mission and they were successful.

Now here they are just passing through the gates talking about how the mission when Naruto suddenly shouted, "Ahh!"

Shikamaru was right next to him so he covered his right ear and asked annoyed, "Why are you yelling?"

But Naruto ignored him then he shouted, "That's right, I have Hinata's White day present and I don't want to keep her waiting. I'll see you guys later!"

Before they could say anything else, he took off and left them behind, stirring up dust as he ran past them.

Kiba just sighed and said, "That guy has too much energy, isn't he ever tired?"

Shino gave his opinion, "He is energetic, why? Because he has always had amazing stamina, he could last a whole day of travel without getting exhausted."

"That was a rhetorical question, Shino," Kiba explained.

Shikamaru just shook his head but he had a small smirk on his face as he and the others walk towards the Hokage Tower.

"_It was about time he got it through his thick skull that Hinata loved him. The poor girl was so embarrassed to ask me about him on Valentine's Day that I thought she would faint before she even gave him her chocolate_," Shikamaru thought in his head.

After Valentine's day, not only have he and Ino have gotten together, Naruto properly asked Hinata out the next day and they are dating too. Speaking of White Day, he held Ino's gift in his pocket and smiled when he thought about his girlfriend. Though he hadn't admitted it to himself until years later, he knew he was in love with her ever since they were kids. He was afraid to tell her before because it seemed to him that she was intent to make Sasuke her boyfriend. Not even Chouji knows how many times that he wanted to strangle the last Uchiha for making Ino cry more times than he could count.

He was really happy that she told him that she loves him; he felt that he had a weight lifted from his shoulders. To know that the girl he was in love with loves him back, it made him happier than he would ever admit to even his best friend.

"_I hope she likes this gift I got her for White Day, it was the only thing I could think of getting her and to let her know how much she means to me_," Shikamaru thought while he gripped the present in his pocket.

Then he, Shino and Kiba had made their report of their successful mission and when they were done, they were given permission to leave. So all of them went on to their separate destinations; Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru went to find where Hinata is because they also have their White day presents for her. While Shikamaru went in the direction of Yamanaka Flowers, to see Ino and to go on their date that he promised her that they would when he got back. He reached the shop and watched his girlfriend help an old man with a bouquet of lilies. He waited until the old man left the shop leaving Ino alone. He went into the shop, quietly came up from behind her and embraced her in a playful hug.

"Shika, I was wondering when you would be back," Ino said as she turned around to return the embrace.

"I just got back and I wanted to take you on our date later tonight," Shikamaru replied.

"I would love to Shika, but you better take a shower first though, you're sweaty," Ino said while poking his cheek affectionately.

"Okay, okay, I will. I'll pick you up later tonight at seven," Shikamaru said before giving Ino a kiss on the cheek.

Then he went on home and got himself ready for his date; he took considerate care for his hair and clothes and even put on a little bit of cologne. Normally; he wouldn't take particular interest in looking good but it is with Ino and he wanted to impress her even if it was just at least their third date since Valentine's Day.

So he dresses casually in a dark blue dress shirt and black slacks with his regular black sandals. He puts his gift in his pocket and goes to Ino's house to pick her up, feeling a bit apprehensive even though they have been a couple for only a month. He waits outside the flower shop for her to come down as Ino's father keeps a close eye on him the whole time.

They may have told Inoichi that they are dating but Shikamaru was still a little nervous around him; especially when it comes to him dating Ino.

He was spared the death glares from Inoichi when he heard Ino come down the stairs and as he looked in her direction, he was in awe. Ino's hair was separated that half of it was down and half of it was up, with a flower hair clip that held the fringe of hair away from her face. She was wearing a casual purple halter dress that reached her knees with strappy sandals. She had on light makeup that made her eyes pop and made them seem to glow. He felt he could just stare at her for days as he smiled at her.

He walked over to her and whispered in her ear, "You look beautiful, Ino."

Ino blushed and she replied, "Thank you Shika, you look good too."

"Shall we?" Shikamaru asked while holding out his arm.

"Sure," She answered as she latched onto his arm, and bid her father goodbye as they went through the door.

For their date they went to eat at a sushi restaurant instead of the usual Yakiniku Q and they talked about their most recent mission and they were having a good time together. After they were finished, he paid for their meal and decided to walk to the training grounds to gaze at the stars. They sat against a tree to look up at the sky, Ino cuddled up to Shikamaru. Ironically to him, this was where Ino gave him the chocolate that showed to him that she loved him and now he was going to do the same with his gift.

"The stars are really beautiful tonight aren't they Shika?" Ino asked him.

"Yeah, but I know something that is even more beautiful than the stars," Shikamaru gazed at Ino as he said this.

Ino smiled up at him with a pink blush on her face and she kissed his cheek, and said, "Shika, you are so sweet."

Then he sat up a bit to adjust their position and said to her, "I got you something for White Day Ino, I hope you like it."

He pulled a small box out of his pocket that was wrapped in white paper and white ribbon and handed it to her. Ino took it from him and had a small smile on her lips as she slowly undid the ribbon and unwrapped the paper. He was a bit nervous as he watched her open the box in anticipation but was a bit relieved to see that she was smiling.

Ino asked him, "Shika, is this really for me?"

Inside the box was a golden heart-shaped locket with flowers bordering around on the front, attached to a fine gold chain.

Shikamaru answered, "Yeah, I bought it for you before I went on my mission and I had it custom-designed for you. I also had it engraved, read it on the inside."

He watched as she opened the locket and smiled as she read the engraved words out loud, "I love you, Ino."

Then he wasn't prepared as she suddenly tackled him to the ground in a warm embrace, kissing him on his lips passionately. Then he slowly returned the kiss with just as much passion to express his true feelings; that he meant what he had engraved in the locket. He felt her lick his bottom lip and he smirked as he opened his mouth so that their tongues are in an intimate dance together. After a minute of bliss, they reluctantly pull apart and look into each other's eyes and smile.

"I love you too Shika, always," Ino said to him.

Then he sat up, took the locket out of her hands, and put the locket around her neck while she moved her hair out of the way.

Then Shikamaru said to her, "It suits you, Ino."

Then he laid back against the tree while Ino laid her head on his shoulder as they both looked up at the stars, their hands entwined with content smiles on their lips.

**Well, I hope you like this little story. Please feel free to review.**


End file.
